End plate for concrete forms

ABSTRACT

An end plate for a concrete form wherein the end plate is metal and has at least two arrays of apertures therein, the arrays being laterally spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the side walls of the concrete form. The apertures of each array are in a column so as to enable the end plate to be attached to the concrete form at a plurality of points. Also, disclosed are wedge pins which may be used to connect the end plate with the concrete form.

PATENTED 31974 I a e-33.199 SW 1 0f 2 FIG- 1 END PLATE FOR CONCRETE FORMS This invention relates to an end plate for a concrete form and more particularly to a metal end plate having arrays of apertures therein which enables the end plate to be used for metal concrete forms having various widths.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an end plate for a concrete form, the concrete form including spaced apart metal side walls extending longitudinally of the concrete form, each of the side walls having an attachment flange fixedly connected to the side walls near the ends thereof and extending perpendicularly therefrom, each of the attachment flanges having a plurality of vertically spaced apart apertures therethrough, the end plate for the concrete form being metal and having at least two arrays of apertures therein, the arrays of apertures being laterally spaced apart a distance equal to the lateral distance between the apertures in the attachment flanges on each of the side walls, the apertures of each array being in columnar form with at least some apertures in each array of apertures being in registry with apertures in each of the attachment flanges when the end plate is in abutment with the ends of the side walls and is in position to close the concrete form, whereby the end plate is easily attached to the sidewalls of a concrete form to close the form and is easily removed therefrom to be reused.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an end plate of the type set forth wherein three arrays of apertures are provided with at least some apertures in two arrays of the apertures being in registry with apertures in each of the attachment flanges when the end plate is in abutment with the side walls to enable tbe end plate to be used with concrete forms having various widths.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following specification and description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of concrete forms particularly-showing the end plate of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view partially broken away of the concrete forms shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged portion of a corner of the con crete forms shown in FIG. 1, particularly showing the means for connecting the end plate to the rest of the concrete form.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 thereof a set of metal concrete forms 50 arranged to provide several interconnecting walls. Each metal concrete form 50, as seen in FIG. 2, is provided with spaced apart side walls 55 each having an inner surface 56, an outer surface 57 and end abutment surfaces 58. The side walls 55 of the concrete form 50 are usually made out of metal such as steel or the like. To each of the side walls 55 there is fixedly secured an attachment flange 60 near each end of the sidewall, the attachment flange being provided with an inner surface 61 and an outer surface 62. The attachment flange 60 is preferably steel or other metal and is fixedly mounted to the side wall 55 such as by welding or the like so as to extend perpendicularly of the side wall. The attachment flanges 60 are provided at each end of the side wall 55 such that two side walls have four attachment flanges, all for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Each of the attachment flanges is provided with an array of apertures 65, each in the form of a slot having its longer dimension 66 horizontal and its shorter dimension 67 vertical. Each of the apertures, or slots is in alignment with the apertures above and below it thereby to form a column of apertures. While it is desirable for standardization that the apertures 65 in individual attachment flanges 60 are in registry, it is not absolutely necessary. Finally, each of the side walls 55 is provided with a plurality of horizontal support members 70 each having an upper surface and a lower surface 72. These support members 70 are fixedly connected to the attachment flanges 60 and to the outer surface 57 of the side walls 55 such as by welding or the like to provide additional strength to the side walls of the concrete form 50. Additionally, the horizontal support members 70 may have handles welded to them for easier handling of the side walls 55, it being appreciated that both side walls 55 of the concrete form 50 are provided with attachment flanges 60, supports 70 and handles.

In order to close the concrete form 50 so as to be able to pour concrete thereinto and to form the desired structure, it is necessary to complete the form by providing two end plates 80, one at each end interconnecting the side walls 55. Each end plate is formed of a generally rectangular metal plate having an inner surface 81 and an outer surface 82. As shown, each end plate 80 is provided with an array of apertures 85 in columnar form, each aperture being in the form of a slot having its longer dimension 86 horizontal and its shorter dimension 87 vertical. Spaced apart from the array 85 is another array 90 in the form of a column of apertures, each of which is in alignment with a corresponding one of the apertures in the array 85. Each of the apertures in the array 90 is in the form of a slot having its longer dimension 91 horizontal and its shorter dimension 92 vertical. Spaced from the array 90 and further toward the end of the end plate 80 is a third array 95 of apertures in the form of a column. Each of the apertures in the array 95 is in registry with a corresponding aperture in the arrays 85 and 90. Each of the apertures in the array 95 is in the form of a slot having its longer dimension 96 horizontal and its shorter dimension 97 vertical.

The array 85 is positioned adjacent to one longitudinal side of the end plate 80 while the array 95 is positioned adjacent to the other longitudinal side of the end plate with the array 90 intermediate. Specifically, the arrays 85, 90 and 95 are positioned so that the end plate 80 may be used to complete concrete forms 50 having two widths. More specifically, it is common in the industry to pour concrete walls having a thickness of 8" or 10''. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arrays 85, 90 and 95 are spaced apart a distance to enable the end plate 80 to be used to close the ends of concrete forms 50 for forming either an 8" or a 10" thick concrete wall.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is seen a preferred structure for and method of closing the concrete forms 50 and maintaining the same in its closed position during the pouring of the concrete thereinto. A wedge pin 100 is provided having a body portion 101 which tapers at one end 102 thereof and is poured with cross member 103 at the other end thereof having an abutment surface 104 at the inside of the cross member. It is seen, therefore, that the wedge pin 100 is in the form of a T, there further being provided a slot 105 in the body portion 101 of the wedge pin. The slot 105 in the wedge pin 100 is positioned along the centerline of the body portion 101 and nearer to the cross piece 103, the slot having its longer dimension 106 extending longitudinally of the stake and its shorter dimension 107 extending transversely of the stake. The longitudinal extent of the slot 105 is sufficient to accommodate therein the body portion 101 of another wedge pin 100 but is not sufficient to allow the cross piece 103 to pass therethrough.

When it is desired to mount the end plate 80 to the side walls 55, the inner surface 81 of the end plate is positioned in abutting relationship with the abutting surfaces 58 of the side walls 55. The array 85 of apertures is positioned so that at least some of the slots or apertures are in registry with corresponding ones of the slots 65 in the adjacent attachment flange 60. A wedge pin 100 is driven through one of the slots or apertures in the array 55 and one of the slots or apertures 65 until the slot 105 in the wedge pin extends beyond the attachment flange 60. Thereafter, a second wedge pin 100 is driven vertically through the slot 105 until the abutment surfaces 104 come in contact with the body 101 thereby fixedly securing the end plate 80 to one of the side walls 55, several such wedge pins being used to provide spaced apart joints of juncture. The other side wall 55 will have the apertures 65 in its attachment flange 60 in registry with either the array 90 or array 95 of the end plate 80, depending on the thickness of the concrete wall or structure to be formed. Once the apertures in either the array 90 or 95 are in alignment or in registry with apertures 62 in the attachment flange 60, a plurality of wedge pins 100 are used as hereinbefore set forth securely to fasten the end plate 80 to the second side wall 55 thereby enclosing one end of the side walls. A similar procedure is followed at the other end of the side walls 55 to form a concrete form 50 having two metal side walls 55 and two metal end plates 80, which concrete form is now ready to accept concrete, it being understood that a bottom floor is provided for the form in the usual manner.

It is seen, therefore, that there has been provided a metal end plate for a concrete form which is reusable and is constructed and arranged to be used with concrete forms of various thicknesses. It should be understood that structures or walls may be of any thickness desired and the end plate 80 of the present invention may be so constructed with a sufficient number of arrays of apertures to accommodate the various thicknesses as desired. More specifically, concrete walls are often formed which are 12 thick and it is understood that the end plate of the present invention may be constructed to be used with concrete forms for pouring such walls.

Before the subject invention, it was common practice in the trade to cut end closures out of wood for concrete forms. This method of closing the concrete form is expensive and unsatisfactory due to the difficulty of maintalning the wooden end plate in its proper position and due to the time necessary to cut wooden closures for concrete forms of various thicknesses. Additionally, the wooden end closures often had to be replaced necessitating expenditures of time and money therefor. It is apparent that there has been provided a new end plate for concrete forms embodying all of the subjects of the present invention. While there has been provided what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. A metal end plate for a concrete form, said concrete form including spaced apart metal side walls each having an attachment flange fixedly connected near the ends thereof and extending perpendicularly therefrom, each of said attachment flanges having a plurality of vertically spaced apart apertures therethrough, said metal end plate having at least two arrays of apertures therein, said arrays of apertures being laterally spaced apart a distance equal to the lateral distance between the apertures in said attachment flanges on each of said side walls, said apertures of each array being in columnar form with at least some apertures in each array of apertures being in registry with apertures in each of said attachment flanges when said end plate is in abutment with the ends of said side walls and is in position to close said conceete form, each of said apertures in said array of apertures in said metal end plate having a greater horizontal extent than vertical extent, a plurality of T-shaped locking pins for use with said concrete form, each of said locking pins having a tapered body portion and an aperture therein spaced away from the top portion of said locking pin a distance sufficient to accommodate the thickness of said end plate and said attachment flange between the top portion of said locking pin and said aperture, said aperture having a longitudinal extent large enough to accommodate the passage of the tapered body portion of another locking pin therethrough, whereby said end plate is easily attached to said side walls of the concrete form to close the form by inserting a locking pin positioned horizontally through the aligned apertures in said end plate and said attachment flange and thereafter inserting a locking pin vertically through the aperture in the locking pin passing through said end plate and said attachment flange thereby firmly to connect said end plate to said attachment flange with the locking pins external of the area between the side walls of the concrete form.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,833,199 Dated September a, 1974 Patent 'No.

I ImIentoflsO ILLILEN B. FRAl (E I It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letterev P atent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2-,. line 67, "poured" should be provided Column 4, 11ine '10,- "subjects" should be objects Signe'df and sealed this 19th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner'of Patents USCOMM-DC coon-Pu FORM Po-wso (10-69) I A Y v I Y i u.s. covenunam mum; omcz'; Iss9 o-dis-au. 

1. A metal end plate for a concrete form, said concrete form including spaced apart metal side walls each having an attachment flange fixedly connected near the ends thereof and extending perpendicularly therefrom, each of said attachment flanges having a plurality of vertically spaced apart apertures therethrough, said metal end plate having at least two arrays of apertures therein, said arrays of apertures being laterally spaced apart a distance equal to the lateral distance between the apertures in said attachment flanges on each of said side walls, said apertures of each array being in columnar form with at least some apertures in each array of apertures being in registry with apertures in each of said attachment flanges when said end plate is in abutment with the ends of said side walls and is in position to close said conceete form, each of said apertures in said array of apertures in said metal end plate having a greater horizontal extent than vertical extent, a plurality of T-shaped locking pins for use with said concrete form, each of said locking pins having a tapered body portion and an aperture therein spaced away from the top portion of said locking pin a distance sufficient to accommodate the thickness of said end plate and said attachment flange between the top portion of said locking pin and said aperture, said aperture having a longitudinal extent large enough to accommodate the passage of the tapered body portion of another locking pin therethrough, whereby said end plate is easily attached to said side walls of the concrete form to close the form by inserting a locking pin positioned horizontally through the aligned apertures in said end plate and said attachment flange and thereafter inserting a locking pin vertically through the aperture in the locking pin passing through said end plate and said attachment flange thereby firmly to connect said end plate to said attachment flange with the locking pins external of the area between the side walls of the concrete form. 